Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-07-01

college opened most auspiciou>ly, Sun
day, with the baccalaureate discourse by
President Buckham ard the anniversary
exercises OF the University y. VI. G.. A.
with an address by Prof. George f. Moore
of Andover seminary. The weather was
delightful, and the College street church,
at which the exercises Of the day were
held was thronged at both the afternoon
and evening services.
The baccalaureate sermon was deliver
ed by President Buckham at 3 o'clock in
the afternoon. The church was filled to
overlooking, and the ushers were obliged
to place lines of chairs in the aisles. EX-
cellent music was furnished by choir
composed of members of the First and
Third Congregational choirs, the singers
being Misses Lemon and Mayo and
Messrs. Walker and Rose. Miss Macom-
Der presided very acceptably at the organ.
President Buckham was assisted in the
opening exercises by Prof II. A. p. Tor
rey, who read the Scripture selection ana
Rev. G.. +. Carter who offered prayer
The baccalaureate discourse was one of
tbs finest of long series of admirable dis
courses delivered before the graduating
classes of the university
President Buckham does not repeat
himself, in his baccalaureate discourses.
and the public have learned to expect
from him, on these occasions, something
fresh, timely and inspiring. None, certain
ly, of his hearers at this time could have
been disappointed in this respect. His
sermon was not only a high and useful
lesson, but fresh and valuable contribu-
ton to the Christian thought of our time.
The following is an abstract of the dis
course
THE BACCALAUREATE SERMON.
What is man that thou art mindful of
him For thou hast made him but little
lower than the angels. Psalm viii, 4, 5.
This strain, which begins on note of
humility, swells at last into q note of eX-
ultation, we may say even of pride. When
the Psalmist considered the heavens, he
seemed on the point of being overwhem-
ed with the vastness of the physical uni
verse, as so many others have been before
and since. Bnt soon the divine element
in him rose up and asserted its supremacy
insignificant as man seems to himself
amid all the glory of the heavens, Thou
has given him dominion over all the works
of thy hands Thou hast maze him but
little lower than the angels" The pride
of man in himself can go no further than
this. And yet though this strain of the
old Hebrew Psalmist is defiant, disdain
full almost in the assertion of mans pre-
rogative in the presence of mere physical
nature, it is before God reverent, humble,
worshipful. Instead of begetting self
sufficiency, the thought of mans suprem-
acy inspires religion. Let us learn from
the old Hebrew to estimate man at his
true worth. Let us catch from this note
OF inspiration the true keynote ofour own
life. Let us try to estimate man and hui
man life and human destiny according to
the standard by which God estimates
them.
Eor ;,dooa +lo,o ..,o.,.,., -. l.. ..ez., ~.
we ask again the old question, NV hat is
man ?; that we reconsider the relative
Importance of man and all other terres-
trial beings and things. There is some
danger that in these later times man be
pushed from his rightful place of domn-
ion over all the works of Gods hands,
that he be accounted of less Importance
not only than the worlds above but than
the beast of the field, the fowl of the air
and the fish OF the sea- AT least, is there
not danger that the nobler elements of
mans nature will be over-borne by the
imperious, dazzling materialsm of the
times
Let us then first try to get, in part at
least, Gods estimate of man, Of his worth
and dignity-of man, not as he is, Grip
pied and dwarfed by sin, but man as his
Creator designed him to be, and as re-
deemed by Christ he will be.
!. God has very impressively declared
his estimate of man in the physical place
he has given to him in the universe, the
home he has provided for him and the
natural ministries he has appointed to
serve him. AS man eXpeuds his most eX-
quisite art upon the home which embos-
oms those whom he loves, and expresses
thereby the supreme estimate i'll which he
holds them, SO God in this beautiful
world, wherein he has displayed an art
than which we can conceive nothing more
exquisite even by divine artist, has eX-
pressed his lofty estimate of the being for
whom he has prepared all this array of
loneliness and grandeur If it were not
that man by his own blunders and sins
has marred and jumbled this fair creation,
what nobler dwelling place than this need
any creature of God desire Not more
clearly do the heavens declare the glory of
God and the armament his handy work,
than the earth declares his affectionate in
terest in the children of men.
=. God has also declared his high est-
mate OF man by the education which he
has given him. We know too little of
Gods other intelligent creatures and of
what he has done for them to make com
parsons, but whoever of Gods children
may stand highest in his regard and IA
vor, 1t is hard to conceive how God could
have done more for their education than
he has done for man. From the creation
until now God has put man into the best
possible school, under the best possible
and to ali subject agencies. Creation it.
self is a lesson-book full OF wonderful
love, fitted to draw out mans thought
through curiosity, admiration and awe.
Science in all its parts is a text book for
which God has furnished the materials in
air, earth and sky, in rock, in crystal,
plant, fish, bird and beast, and most OF
all in the mind and soul of man himself,
in his reason, his imagination, his con
science, his language, his arts and insti-
buttons. Providence is a higher school in
which God unfolds more clearly his plans
and purposes, so as to admit man to
nearer view of his character and will.
The noblest book in the school of mans
education is history-not the written page
which we call history, but events them
selves in which God makes his thoughts
and plans visible and real. AS we are &C.
customed to fsay of the individual that
there is no school for him like the school
of experience, SO God has led the race
through a series of experiences adapted to
bring it forward from one stage to anoth-
er OF development. And as the wise
teacher urges, encourages, sometimes
compels the boy to presevere against hard
ships over obstacles through struggles